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A woman has been told she is "lucky to be alive" after she was viciously attacked by a magpie. Marcela Montalva, originally from Chile, moved about four months ago to Ravenswood — a small, remote town in the Australian Outback. She was in the country on a temporary working holiday visa, which allows travellers to work and earn money to support their adventures. “I came here full of dreams, ready to work hard, explore this beautiful country, and enjoy its incredible landscapes and culture, always respecting the environment and giving my best,” she wrote on GoFundMe. However, on October 15, during one of her days off, something unexpected occurred while Montalva was riding her bike to a nearby post office. “Halfway there, I was suddenly attacked by a magpie, lost control of the bicycle, and fell hard on the road, hitting the left side of my face on the concrete,” she said. “I lost consciousness and later woke up in the mine’s medical unit. From there, I had to be airlifted by helicopter to the Townsville University Hospital, as I was in a very remote area.” When she arrived at the hospital, doctors discovered that the bird — part of the same family as crows and jays — had caused significant injuries, including multiple fractures to her left cheekbone and a rare fracture of the hyoid bone in her neck. “Doctors told me I was lucky to be alive,” Montalva added. “Now, I urgently need facial reconstructive surgery, as I’m struggling to eat and speak properly. "Unfortunately, my travel insurance has refused to cover any medical or surgical costs, claiming that the initial report stated I was found without a helmet.” So far, Montalva has raised around $12,000 (AUD) to help pay for the medical and surgical procedures needed for facial reconstruction — essential to restore her ability to eat and speak properly. “I never imagined something like this could happen to me," she said. “I always try to stay safe, but I could have never predicted that a bird attack would lead to such a serious accident," she added.
